Mamata Banerjee expresses disappointment with TMC's underperformance in north Bengal, vows to improve

 Didi to Malda voters: What others have done for you?

Trinamool leaders on the dais of the Martyrs’ Day rally on Sunday : Picture by Pradip Sanyal

Avijit Sinha, TT, Siliguri, 22.07.24 : Mamata Banerjee on Sunday expressed her disappointment with the Trinamool Congress's underperformance in the Lok Sabha polls in north Bengal but at the same time, she vowed to improve the party's prospects in the region in future elections.

“In north Bengal, we didn’t perform well… it is our misfortune that people didn’t vote for us. We hope in the coming days, people in north Bengal will vote for Trinamool,” the Trinamool Congress chairperson said while addressing the mega rally in Calcutta today.

In north Bengal, the BJP retained six of seven Lok Sabha seats. One seat — Malda Dakshin — was retained by the Congress. The TMC bagged the Cooch Behar seat which the BJP had won in 2019.

In south Bengal, Trinamool wrested six of 12 seats which the BJP had won in 2019. As a result, the saffron party’s tally went down to 12 from 18 seats this time.

“In Malda, we couldn’t win even one seat as the BJP and the Congress had won one seat each. I want to ask (voters of Malda) what these parties have done for you. They did nothing. Let me assert that I have not misunderstood you and I am hopeful that in the upcoming polls, I will get the ‘aam and and aamsotto’ (the mango and the mango-pulp candies) of Malda,” said Mamata.

Unlike other districts like Murshidabad and North 24-Parganas where the TMC came up with flying colours, it couldn’t win a seat in Malda, a district with over 50 per cent Muslim population.

“The TMC has always banked on the Muslim vote bank and in the 2021 Assembly polls, the party had won eight of 12 seats in Malda. This time, the TMC couldn't win either Malda Dakshim or Malda Uttar,” said an observer.

In Bengal, the TMC had bagged 45.76 per cent of votes in the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP’s vote share was 38.73 per cent.

However, in the eight Lok Sabha segments of north Bengal, the TMC’s average vote share was 38.53 per cent while the BJP secured 43.98 per cent votes.

On Sunday, Mamata asked Trinamool leaders to reach out to people and seek their support.

“We should reach out to them and acknowledge possible lapses on our part. I thank the people of Cooch Behar for putting all efforts to ensure our win,” said the chief minister, who added that despite losing the Raiganj Lok Sabha seat, her party had won the Raiganj Assembly bypoll.

In Raiganj, the BJP had a vote share of 40.99 per cent while the TMC had a 36 per cent vote share in the Parliament elections. However, in the bypoll, the BJP managed to get only 24.4 per cent votes while the TMC increased its share to 57.97 per cent votes.